Ashwood Forest - Molten Earth Inferno
The moment they stepped into Ashwood Forest, crimson eyes illuminated the surroundings.
[Nightshade Felines]
[Level: 5]
[HP: 900]
[Nightmare Modifier – Experience gained from defeating monsters increased by 500%]
[Nightmare Modifier – Monsters receive additional attribute enhancements]
In this Nightmare dungeon, even the lowliest monsters possessed 900 hit points, their numbers a terrifying prospect.
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The sheer number of creatures sent a jolt of anxiety through Bella.
She possessed only a rudimentary iron-grade tunic, her other slots tragically empty.
Under ordinary circumstances, she would never entertain the notion of challenging a Nightmare dungeon in such a state.
"Bella, initiate Groundfire charge."
"Acknowledged!"
"Dauntless, stay close."
Swish!
Lucas unleashed Arcane Flash, a whirlwind of motion spiraling around a tree, striking seven or eight [Nightshade Felines] simultaneously.
He then executed a Sky Step.
[Sky Step (Aerial Skill): Instantly crushes a target below, dealing a minimal strength-based damage. Grants a brief 'slow fall' effect. If the target is organic, refunds 50% of the cooldown duration. Cooldown: 3 seconds.]
Lucas landed with a forceful stomp on the crown of a Nightshade Feline, leaping skyward once more and bellowing, "Come and get me! You stunted, grotesque mongrels!"
[Ruthless Taunt]
Instantly, every feline in the forest fixated on him.
The Nightshade Felines, previously concerned with Bella and Dauntless, now transferred their undivided attention to Lucas.
Ruthless Taunt could be delivered as silent or vocal provocation.
A shouted and insulting taunt imbued the user with the undivided attention of all who heard it.
Lucas's choice of words struck a profound nerve with the [Nightshade Felines].
It was akin to desecrating a family's honor in Dragon Country.
Screech screech screech –
One by one, the felines bounded from the treetops, pursuing Lucas with relentless fury.
Dauntless, petrified, stood frozen in place.
"Dauntless, move!"
"But... the monsters are overwhelming."
"They won't target you, execute a Five-Stage Slash and stay in pursuit."
Hearing Lucas's instruction, Dauntless steeled his resolve and gripped the greatsword behind him.
[Three-Stage Slash - > Mighty Five-Stage Slash]
Dauntless drew his blade and unleashed a ferocious strike!
Whoosh!
Dauntless instantly covered a distance of ten meters!
The [Limit Breaker Warrior (S)] talent allowed all of Dauntless's warrior skills to evolve.
Boom—
The resulting shockwave from the first slash swept outward, instantly scattering the Nightshade Felines to either side.
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[Mighty Five-Stage Slash - After a brief charge, deliver a rapid displacement slash. Maximum charge duration of 2 seconds, extending displacement from 2 to 10 meters, dealing 1-6 times strength-based damage. Usable five times, enters a 10-second cooldown.]
The Limit Breaker Warrior's innate ability circumvented the need for charging, instantly maximizing its effect.
Bella gazed in awe at the devastating strike.
S-rank talents were formidable indeed, even when wielded by a novice.
The second slash followed swiftly! Another wave of power washed through the feline ranks!
Dauntless was now keeping pace with Lucas's movements.
Lucas remained airborne, Arcan Flash and Sky Step combining to give the impression of flight.
The number of felines lured by Lucas continued to swell.
A full seventy felines were now under his command, representing a significant portion of the dungeon's population.
With a mere 225 hit points at level 5, Lucas could scarcely withstand two attacks from the monsters in this Nightmare dungeon.
"Dauntless, Ground Shattering Collapse."
Hearing Lucas's command,
Dauntless executed it without hesitation, trusting implicitly in the instructions of his superior.
Lucas descended in Dauntless's direction, the surrounding felines converging upon their prey as he fell.
They swarmed around Dauntless, threatening to engulf him in a feline sphere.
Dauntless, finishing the second strike, raised his heavy sword to the sky.
Then brought it down with earth-shattering force!
[Ground Shatter -> Ground Shattering Collapse]
Boom!
The blade struck the earth, and a cataclysmic shockwave spread outwards!
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The felines that had been hurtling through the air were instantly obliterated by the blow.
[Ground Shattering Collapse (Warrior Technique): After charging for 1-3 seconds, swing the sword, dealing 3-15 times strength-based damage in a 10-meter radius. Knocks back all enemies in range. Cooldown: 7 seconds. Mana consumption: None.]
Charging skills boasted unparalleled damage potential.
After all, the charging duration of 3 seconds was equivalent to a 3-second lapse in offensive output.
A normal greatsword attack inflicted 1.5 times the strength-based damage; three such attacks in 3 seconds would yield 4.5 times the strength-based damage.
Furthermore, this skill demanded that the user stand rooted in place, a stationary target.
Were the reward insufficient to justify the risk, the skill would be worthless.
Of course, charged attacks did possess redeeming qualities; later iterations included the ability to charge while moving or pre-charge skills to mitigate the negative effects of charging.
However, none proved as effective as Dauntless's [Limit Breaker Warrior], which obviated the need for charging altogether.
Dauntless would become known as the most formidable charging-style warrior in the world, and in later battles, he would unleash charging attacks lasting 10-30 seconds in mere moments.
Lucas had foreseen this strike.
Every feline had been lured by him, and the release was timed to precisely clear the entire forest of felines.
[You have gained enough experience: Level up to 6]
[You have gained enough experience: Level up to 7]
The chain of seventy feline eliminations, combined with the bonus experience in the Nightmare dungeon, catapulted Lucas directly to level 7.
"Boss... I did it!"
"Too soon to celebrate."
From the depths of the surrounding forest, crimson eyes reappeared, felines materializing from the shadows, their claws latching onto the trees.
"The second wave is imminent."
Although this dungeon had been thoroughly studied in the first and second servers, dungeons that had appeared in the first and second servers were subject to modified mechanics in the third.
For instance, the Ashwood Forest contained only one wave of felines in the first server.
Upon eliminating them, the Feline King would emerge, and defeating him would secure victory.
In the third server, Ashwood Forest featured three waves of felines, each exceeding the previous one in numbers.
Lucas was aware of this modification.
The Hidden Origin guild and the Stargate guild were not. The third server had just opened, and it was their first time navigating this dungeon.
They remained oblivious to the altered mechanics and would likely resort to the pre-rehearsed tactic of attracting and eliminating all felines in a single volley.
Or, alternatively, eliminating each feline as they came.
A mass extermination was the most efficient approach, but the Stargate guild's Area-of-Effect damage was inferior to Bella's.
Bella's casting could be described as charge and burst while Starshine focused on multi-stage rapid casting.
In terms of damage output, it was undeniable that Bella exceeded Starshine.
Had they attempted a mass extermination, they would find a new wave of enemies ready to ambush them.
Regarding the Hidden Origin guild, an assassin-focused talent would be better to eliminate bosses, but clearing mobs would be impossible.
By now, the second wave had been spawned.
"Boss! The second wave is here! What should we do!"
Dauntless stood back to back with Lucas, as bewildered to discover the second wave.
Bella, charging in the distance, grew increasingly impatient. Lucas had yet to signal the release, and the charge had reached the 10-second limit.
30 times the range and power was the ultimate result.
Bella remained at the entrance, lacking the cover of the forest, while Lucas and Dauntless stood at the heart of the feline territory.
Every feline was transfixed by their prey: Lucas and Dauntless.
At long last, the felines could no longer contain their bloodlust and pounced towards Lucas!
It was then, as the felines hurled themselves toward Lucas,
That Lucas gave the order.
"Release."
Bella swung her staff, unleashing a wave of heat that bathed the earth in crimson.
In a fleeting second, the landscape erupted!
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Magmatic groundfire exploded! 30 times the damage and range, a conflagration that swept across the dungeon!